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How to Find and Mark the Center of a Disc.

by Judy Larson
Most circle center finders are not really great for finding and marking the center of the very small metal disks used in jewelry making, such as bead caps. An off center hole on small disks is very noticeable. A Polar Grid Circle printed on a clear plastic sheet can make a perfect tool to help solve that problem!
Instructions
Google "royalty-free polar grid circle clip art". Find one with at least 24 radial lines.
Judy Larson's How to Find and Mark the Center of a Disc. - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, Tools, circle center finder
Size three of these circles to diameters of 2", 2-3/8" and 2¾" or so, or choose the one that best suits your needs.
Print the circle grids on clear plastic. A 5 Mill thick transparency sheet works great. Shrink plastic sheet for ink jet printers works as well. However, if it gets wet, the ink will run and the plastic will become cloudy. If the printed piece is used carefully, this should not be a problem. Just as easy: Go to your local office supply store and have them print a plastic copy.
Pro Tip: My proof reader, Carol Erickson, says to cover the print with clear contact paper so the print will not rub off. It can be put on both sides of shrink plastic to avoid the moisture problem-SMART!
Place the printed plastic grid on a thick magazine or notepad.
Use the tip of a bead reamer to make a very small hole in the plastic, pushing through the plastic in the plastic where the lines cross at the center of the circle grid. Pick the plastic grid up and twist the bead reamer back and forth to make the hole a bit larger. Then put the reamer in the hole on the other side and repeat the process. Continue alternating sides until the hole is large enough for the tip of an Ultra Fine Point Sharpie to pass through to make a mark. NOTE: DO NOT use a hole punch to make the hole. The holes punched with them are generally off center slightly. Do not use a drill either. The hole will be too large, necessitating a larger mark, which you then need to find the center of.
Judy Larson's How to Find and Mark the Center of a Disc. - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, Tools, circle center finder
Judy Larson's How to Find and Mark the Center of a Disc. - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, Tools, circle center finder
How to Use
Place the metal disk on a flat surface and place the clear grid over the disk, centering the disk inside a printed circle. Hold the plastic in place over the disc. If the disk moves around too much, tape the disc to the back side of the plastic grid. Taping it to the back side of the grid ensures that the tape will not peel off the printed ink lines. Just remember to fold over one end of the tape to make the end of the tape easier to grab to remove.
Judy Larson's How to Find and Mark the Center of a Disc. - How to Use, Wire Jewelry Design, Design, Tools, circle center finder
Judy Larson's How to Find and Mark the Center of a Disc. - How to Use, Wire Jewelry Design, Design, Tools, circle center finder
Using an Ultra Fine Point Sharpie, mark the center of the disk through the hole. A center punch could also be used to mark the disk center. The disk and template should be placed onto a bench block before using the tool.
After the center is marked, the disc can be moved to the top of the center finder so quadrants can be marked for matching, stamping, drilling, etc.
Centering a disc on the grid, with the inside circle centered right to left will make it easier to find the center top to make a hole to add an ear wire.
Judy Larson's How to Find and Mark the Center of a Disc. - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, Tools, circle center finder
Judy Larson's How to Find and Mark the Center of a Disc. - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, Tools, circle center finder
Judy Larson's How to Find and Mark the Center of a Disc. - , Wire Jewelry Design, Design, Tools, circle center finder

Materials

18G 3/4 inch Copper Discs - Pack of 10
D11-1834
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $10.95
  • Gold Club Price: $8.21
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Metal Discs -- Copper - 11/16" (package of 10)
DIS-COP.241116
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $6.97
  • Gold Club Price: $5.23
Out of Stock
Metal Discs -- Copper - 5/8" (package of 10)
DIS-COP.262
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $5.97
  • Gold Club Price: $4.48
Out of Stock
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Tools

Disc Cutter with 9 Shapes
DAP-460.01
  • DAP-460.01
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $299.97
  • Gold Club Price: $224.98
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  • Category: Design
  • Technique(s): Design, Tools

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